Improvement in the apparatus for relieving ships  cables from sudden and violent strain



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI BISSELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE APPARATUS FOR RELIEVING SHIPS CABLES FROM SUDDEN ANDVIOILENT STRAIN, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE T0 OTHER PURPOSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3.932, datedFebruary28, 1845.

vsells Belief -Spring for Ships7 Cables and other Purposes where Springson this Principle may be Useful, for the purpose of relieving the strainon ships cables while lying at anchor in stormy weather, and for otherpurposes, as hereinafter described, of which.

the following is afull and exact description of its construction andmethod of application, reference being had to the annexed dra'wings,making part of this specification.

Figure l heilig a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 an end View, of themachine.

The machine consists of a strong framework, A A, Figs. l and 2, ofcastiron, in which are fitted two strong steel rollers, B B, which turnfreely on their journals, the lower roller being stationary and theupper one being fitted into a movable box, C, which moves freely up anddown in the openings in the side pieces of the frame.

D is an atmospheric spring, similar to those now in use onrailroad-cars, the piston-rod E of which rests on the box O, and may bemade to press on it with any required degree of force.

F, Fig. l, is an inclined plane or wedge, made of cast-iron, and facedon the upper and under sides with stout plates of wrought-iron.

G G, Fig. 2, is a frame of strong iron plates passing entirely round themachine and supporting the upper end of the spring.

Vhen this machine is to be used on shipboard, it is firmly bolted downon the deck, and the narrow end of the plane is attached to the cable,with just sufficient slack between the machine and the windlass orcapstan of the ship to permit the plane to be drawn for ward nearly itswhole length. Then as the ship rises on a swell and draws on the cablethe plane will be drawn forward between the roll ers, and the pressureof the spring increasing as the plane moves on the cable will berelieved from the sudden and violent strain that it would otherwise besubject to, and all injury be' prevented.

This machine may also be used in place of the common drop-press, the diebeing fitted to the broad end of the plane, and the force of the strokeregulated by the distance to which the plane is'drawn out, or by theforce with which the spring is made to act on the roller.

The inclined plane may be straight, as rep-V resented at E, Fig. l, orit may be made with a curved upper surface in either of the formsrepresented in Figs. 3, 4, and 5; and steel I springs, either spiral,elliptical` or of any other form, may be used in place of theatmospheric spring.

I propose also to apply this principle to the purpose of a draft-springfor railroad-cars, or for any other purpose where a draft-spring may berequired, for which purpose I propose to make them in either of theforms represented in the drawings, and marked Draftspring No. l andDraft-spring No. 2.7

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent,is-

The combination of the inclined plane, roll` ers, and spring in themanner above described for any of the above-mentioned or for any otherpurpose to which the same may be applicable.

LEVI BISSELL.

Vitnesses:

STEPHEN DoD, 'STEPHEN R. HnrNEs.

